While Broome International Airport is often viewed as the gateway to a tropical retreat, it also plays a critical role serving the local community and industry. Chris Frame chats with the site’s CEO, Paul McSweeney, about the airport’s latest struggles and successes
Just a few miles east of the globally renowned Cable Beach, characterised by its breathtaking white sand and turquoise waters, is Broome International Airport (BME), the gateway to Western Australia’s Kimberley region.
BME is distinct among Australia’s airports, as it cuts the town of Broome in two, exemplified by the car parks from the adjacent shopping centre, which afford customers uninterrupted views of the airfield and its 7,887ft-long Runway 10/28. Consequently, the unique location of BME proves advantageous, as it is a short walk from the town centre.
Bordered to the west by the Indian Ocean, Dampier Creek to the east and suburbia both north and south, this fascinating landscape mix offers an unforgettable view to passengers arriving by air, as the vibrant blue water is juxtaposed by the iconic red-dirt of the Australian outback.
Such soil bathes the airport and surrounding area in a reddish tinge – the author observed how dramatic this backdrop was against the white fuselage of Virgin Australia Boeing 737-800, VH-VUE (c/n 34167) Curl Curl Beach, after disembarking from Flight VA 1481 on the two-hour jaunt from Perth.
The temperature-controlled atmosphere of the aircraft cabin quickly gave way to 38°C heat, with the accompanying humidity reminding visitors that Broome is more than 600 miles north of the Tropic of Capricorn. Fortunately, the terminal was just a short walk from the parked jet, joined on the apron that morning by a Virgin Australia Regional Fokker 100 and Qantas 737-800, while the arrivals hall was recently upgraded with air-conditioning, making for a pleasant reprieve.
Pandemic impact
With the onset of COVID-19 in 2020, BME handled 308,418 passengers that year, down about 100,000 customers in comparison to 12 months earlier. However, Broome International Airport CEO Paul McSweeney revealed to Airports of the World that 2021 saw a rebound, with more than 415,000 travellers passing through its doors, along with 31,988 aircraft movements.
“COVID-19 had varying impacts on Broome. In early 2020, the Kimberley region was cut off from the rest of the state [due to lockdowns]. During this period, only essential and emergency planes were flying in and out,” McSweeney explained.
With international tourism across Australia – and across most of the globe – ceasing abruptly in March 2020, this market sector collapsed. At the same time, some lucrative oil and gas operations also temporarily relocated away from BME.
As state border closures were implemented for the first time in a generation, coupled with strict measures at international level, too, Western Australia had remained largely sealed off from the rest of the world since March 2020. But, when restrictions were gradually loosened within the Australian state, BME experienced a rapid uptick in popularity. For instance, such pent-up demand resulted in more than 47,000 travellers passing through the Broome gateway in October 2021 – the airport’s busiest month since July 2013.
McSweeney credited this to local tourism in the relatively COVID-free state: “While people in WA [Western Australia] could not go elsewhere, many have chosen to take the opportunity [to] see [the area]. Broome and Kimberley was a top choice for many travellers, which is very understandable.”
With air routes collapsing across Australia during the peak of the pandemic, regional air traffic flows in the mostly coronavirus-free Western Australia became some of the busiest in the country. For example, the Perth-Broome link has been among the top ten throughout COVID, ranking up to third, based on passenger numbers in September 2021 alone.
The boom in passengers from Perth – which is also in Western Australia, roughly 1,042 miles from Broome – helped offset a drought of interstate travellers, as peak-season flights from East Coast cities such as Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane were curtailed.
McSweeney stated BME experienced “minimal guests from these regions,” but the CEO added that air links from elsewhere, such as Darwin in the Northern Territory, were retained.
“There were [few] East Coast flights [in 2021], however, pre-COVID [rotations] were very important. The [seasonal] Qantas [links] from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are popular when running, and are a great benefit for Broome locals wishing to holiday or visit family and friends on the East [Coast]. The indirect route via Perth or Darwin significantly increases travel times, scaring off some potential travellers, as well as increasing exposure potential during the pandemic,” said McSweeney.
Vital services
At the time of writing, regular services are provided by four carriers at BME. Unsurprisingly, Qantas commands the largest footprint at the facility, thanks to several daily rotations linking the Kimberley site to Perth, using a mix of 737-800s complemented by F100s flown via its QantasLink subsidiary. Prior to 2020, the flag carrier also flew 717-200s (also under the QantasLink brand) into BME, however, these have since been replaced by A320 Family jets seconded from Qantas Group’s low-cost arm Jetstar.
Meanwhile, Virgin Australia continues to serve the Broome community with daily sorties on the connection to Perth. The airline survived a rather nasty scare after entering, and then exiting, voluntary administration in April 2020 and November that year, respectively – becoming the country’s first major airline to achieve such a feat. Like its larger rival, the rebooted, mid-market firm plies the popular route with various equipment, including mainline 737-800s, along with A320s and Fokker 100s from its regional arm.
Elsewhere, Darwin-headquarted Airnorth (established in 1978) offers services including scheduled, contract and ad-hoc flights. The airline deploys 76-seat Embraer E170s to BME on the 454-mile link from Kununurra in the far northeast of Western Australia, near the border with the Northern Territory. Such flights are vital for the local community, as the 1hr 25mins sortie saves an arduous 11-hour car journey. Airnorth’s Darwin base is also linked to BME on a four-weekly basis (using the same aircraft type), providing onwards connection across the Northern Territory and further afield.
Other firms at BME include Perth-based Skippers Aviation, which operates Cessna 441 Conquests – which can carry up to nine passengers – flying from Fitzroy Crossing (219 miles east) and Halls Creek (357 miles east) across the Kimberley region.
While the Broome facility has no specialist freight flights, the many tons of cargo handled by BME is transported in the belly of passenger aircraft: “The airport sees huge commercial opportunities for freight, and it is important to the Broome community, given the distance to major centres,” McSweeney commented.
Prior to the onset of COVID-19, international links between BME and Southeast Asia were hosted: “In 2018 and 2019, successful trial flights were made between Singapore and Broome. COVID stopped any further trials, however, this is something we continue to pursue and hope to see return once restrictions allow,” McSweeney said.
Such rotations were accommodated thanks to a swing-gate arrangement, while Australian Border Force officials were housed in booths located in both the arrivals and departures areas.
Although domestic operations continued throughout the pandemic, the airport had to implement significant changes, in line with the COVID-safe guidelines, to facilitate safe travel: “In terms of the operational environment, we had to follow the government directives – as all airports [did] – including wearing masks in the terminal, thorough cleaning protocols, social distancing, and a police presence in the arrivals terminal for checking interstate visitors,” McSweeney explained.
A history of Broome
Established more than 100 years ago, BME can trace its origins back to Broome’s growing need for communication and connectivity.
Pioneering Australian aviators Sir Charles Kingsford Smith – whose name is familiar at a certain Sydney gateway today – and Sir Norman Brearley flew the first routes, which were effectively a milk-run and airmail service using Bristol biplanes.
While the airfield initially relied on the flat white sands of Cable Beach, by 1935 the main runway was under construction. Consequently, such new infrastructure could then accommodate the larger aircraft of MacRobertson Miller Aviation, which later became part of the Ansett Group.
Initially, a tin shed was built as a makeshift passenger terminal, while, in 1936, the still-fledgling Royal Flying Doctor Service started utilising the airfield to provide valuable, and often lifesaving, medical services to the local community. Airport facilities were then modestly updated until the outbreak of World War Two.
With the start of hostilities, the site’s favoured geographical position became a pivotal military asset, especially for the refuelling of combat aircraft types that were operating on the outskirts of the Pacific theatre. However, operations changed abruptly when it was bombed by Japanese aircraft in March 1942. Tragically, 70 people were killed and 24 airframes were lost on the ground. Today, a propeller from a downed Japanese fighter remains on display in the terminal, as a reminder of the scars such conflict left on the community.
A new chapter
After the end of the war, BME rebounded over the coming decades with new terminal buildings constructed and later upgraded. Fast forward to the 1990s and BME had a plethora of modern taxiways, aprons and fuel storage facilities – it had developed into a thriving general-aviation hub.
It was during the same decade when the Australian government deregulated the nation’s airports. While many regional sites were acquired by city councils, BME was a noticeable exception. In 1991, the Federal Department of Transport sold it to a private firm, Airport Engineering Services, which later became Broome International Airport.
Having been in private hands for more than 30 years at the time of writing, the owners have invested in various enhancements, while McSweeney noted it has seen a “tremendous growth of passengers visiting the town”. Put in context, according to BME, it went from handling 42,698 travellers annually in 1992 to 372,634 by 2007.
Initially, BME managed to handle growth with passenger facilities dating back to development plans set down in the 1990s, but with numbers continuing to increase, the airport started a series of redevelopments.
“We have, in the last few years, committed [more than] AUD$14m on redevelopment projects for the airport,” said McSweeney. “These projects aim to provide capacity for anticipated growth over the next 30 years.”
Works completed so far have greatly enhanced the passenger experience at BME. For example, there’s an upgraded and expanded check-in hall, which almost doubles the footprint available to departing travellers. Meanwhile, to accommodate more outbound passengers, car parking has been enlarged, while inside the terminal, security screening areas have been extended, to improve passenger flow.
Recent aesthetic changes to the departures area have also occurred, with a large fishpond sacrificed to make way for additional seating. With the disposal of the surrounding rocks and garden, more space is created, while removal of the water feature reduces humidity in the area.
Meanwhile, an upgrade to the arrivals hall is under way, which, according to McSweeney, will “effectively double the size of the area and allow for an extra baggage belt.” Also part of the current major terminal redevelopment project at BME, first disclosed in August 2019, is a new departure lounge, which will provide sweeping, air-conditioned views of the airfield and nearby town.
This work will precede a planned complete upgrade and revitalisation of the departures hall, with McSweeney revealing proposals for an improved food, beverage, and retail experience. Importantly, management at BME are keen to maintain the uniquely Broome feel that the terminal is known for, as McSweeney pointed out: “It is important to get this right, as the airport needs to be an extension of visitors’ time in Broome and is generally the last impression of [the town].”
Currently, new visitors to BME may be surprised to find an open-air departure lounge. A central seating area is flanked by several locally operated shops and a popular bar. There are a few indoor and air-conditioned seating areas, however, for the most part, ceiling fans and cold drinks offer the best reprieve from the tropical heat this region is characterised by.
However, what the terminal lacks in air-conditioning it makes up for in character. There is no mistaking the true-blue Broome nature of the departure concourse, thanks to the friendly local staff, bright and airy open spaces and unobstructed views of the runway, which is flanked by that famed red soil of the region.
Alternate operations
In addition to the regular scheduled passenger rotations, BME is a key hub for offshore oil and gas operations. Consequently, the complex is home to a significant heliport at the northeastern edge of the airfield, near the threshold of Runway 28. According to BME, the heliport is the biggest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.
The airport’s website states the facility has handled up to 45,000 oil and gas production-related travellers each year – though, figures published by BME in October 2021 stated it was now at 26,000 annually – to and from rigs in the Browse Basin offshore.
One of the most common rotary types based out of BME is the Sikorsky S-92A Helibus, with operators including PHI and CHC utilising examples adorned in their colourful liveries.
“Broome is a key link for the Browse Basin offshore oil and gas industry, being the base for Shell and INPEX workers to transit to the field, as well as for [marine] search and rescue,” McSweeney explained.
“This industry certainly adds to the passenger numbers seen through the airport, and is important for the [figures] in the off-peak season. This industry, however, did not keep passenger numbers high over the last two years, as their transit operations were temporarily moved from Broome, to reduce the risk of an outbreak at the Ichthys [mine] sites. Since moving back to Broome, however, their [figures] are strong and assist to make up for the lack of [visitors from the East Coast of Australia],” he added.
According to a recent study, figures published by BME showed the oil and gas industry contributes AUD$110m to Broome’s gross value added per annum, while about 468 gas and/or oil workers stay overnight in the town each month, further boosting the local economy.
Other operations that frequent the Broome gateway come from the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), which has a base there. Both the Pilatus PC-12 turboprop and the larger and faster PC-24 jet are used on critical aeromedical sorties. According to its website, as of January 2022, the RFDS fields 34 and three examples of the aircraft, respectively, which are used across Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory.
While the RFDS has a specially designed facility at the airport, it operated aeromedical flights out of a smaller processing centre in 2021, following a devastating fire that damaged its main patient transfer building on January 2 last year – thankfully without casualties. Despite such damage, the RFDS was able to maintain 24/7 care across the Kimberley region, without disruption.
Speaking at the time, RFDS WA CEO, Rebecca Tomkinson, commented: “The united response of RFDS crew in Broome and across the organisation, following the fire, has been incredible. There has been no impact to patient response during and since the incident, which has only been possible due to the incredible work ethic of our entire workforce.”
The community nature of the RFDS saw Broome residents rally around the service, with a MyCause online fundraising page generating more than AUD$7,000 in donations. Despite this, as of January this year, the base remains under repair, having been largely stripped out – though the hangar remains operational.
One other operation type that BME excels at is from its bustling general aviation (GA) hub, providing a much-needed link for remote communities in the Western Australian outback. Such air connections remain vital, as cattle stations in this part of the world can measure three-fifths the size of Wales.
Additionally, GA remains essential for mining exploration sites, regional towns, and tourism outposts. To accommodate demand, ten GA companies are based at BME and provide a variety of fixed and rotary-wing types on the apron.
Finally, Airservices Australia – a government-owned air-navigation service provider – also maintains a presence at BME, having opened a new combined AUD$20m air traffic control (ATC) and firefighting complex in July 2012. The tower – which took more than a year to build – stands 52ft above the surrounding apron. The fire station, positioned adjacent to the tower, houses a pair of Rosenbauer Mk 8 fire engines along with a 20ft rescue Sealegs RIB, due to the airport’s proximity to the ocean.
Looking ahead
Ever since the pandemic began, the extreme fluidity of events has often made any certainty impossible, as new variants of COVID-19 arise. This is exemplified following the recent onset of the Omicron variant across the globe.
In a rapid change of events, the Western Australian government announced in January that there would be an indefinite delay to the reopening of its borders “in response to serious concerns around the impacts of the Omicron variant”.
Instead, as part of the state’s updated Safe Transition Plan, new hard border settings came into place from February 5, 2022 – the date originally set for the hard border to come down – in a move to “allow for more safe, compassionate travel into WA and the return of legitimate Western Australians”.
How long such new measures will remain in place is still unclear, and the wider impacts are as yet unknown. In response to the new hard border announcement, the Qantas Group revealed it would reduce its planned domestic capacity by approximately 10% from February 5 until March 31, 2022, “as a placeholder.”
The firm said this is calculated on an available seat/distance basis and reflects the long sector lengths of trans-continental flights from Perth to Australia’s more populated East Coast. Despite the challenges, core connections from Western Australia to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Darwin will remain, to support essential personnel and freight.
But, for smaller Western Australian gateways such as BME, which have adjusted to the reality of the pandemic within the closed-border framework, such resilience may be beneficial if more state residents ‘holiday at home’ – as was demonstrated with an influx of tourists and more than 47,000 passengers who passed through Broome in October 2021.
Factor in the ongoing upgrades to the terminal, a revitalised check-in hall and plans to further enhance the departure experience, and it would seem BME is well positioned to take on the post-COVID landscape and continue to thrive in the future.
